1 dies of ‘hunger’, days after govt rejects starvation deaths report

THE DECEASED WAS IDENTIFIED AS BHUKHAL PASI, A RESIDENT OF SHANKARDIH TOLA IN KARMA VILLAGE IN BOKARO DISTRICT

RANCHI/DHANBAD: In a major embarrassment for the Hemant Soren government, a 42-year-old man died allegedly due to hunger in Bokaro district on Friday, a day after the state government claimed in the Jharkhand assembly that the state does not have a history of ‘hunger deaths’---a charge made by the ruling alliance partners against the previous Raghubar Das government.

The deceased was identified as Bhukhal Pasi, a resident of Shankardih tola in Karma village under Kasmar block in Bokaro district. Pashi’s wife Rekh Devi claimed he died due to hunger. The family of seven, including her 14-year-old son Nitesh who worked in a dhaba, another son and three daughters, did not have food for four days, she said.

Pashis’s death comes at a time when the food and supplies department led by Congress’ Rameshwar Oraon told CPI (ML) (L) legislator Binod Singh told Jharkhand assembly on Thursday that no one in the state died of hunger during the past five years.

“When the JMM and Congress were in opposition, they regularly alleged that dozens of people had died of hunger under the Raghubar Das government and did politics over it. Now they have admitted that they used to speak a lie then,” said Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo.

Reacting to the answer provided by the department, CPI (ML) (L) legislators Binod Singh said the state government needs to realise the issues that has brought them to power. “It is a fact that several people have died in the state due to hunger. There is a need to review the entire food security policy and take corrective measures,” said Singh.

Food and civil supplies minister Rameshwar Oraon defended the reply to the legislator and said the government is seized of the fact that many people are still out of the Food Security Act.

Pashi’s death, meanwhile, prompted CM Hemant Soren to order a probe into the incident.

“Instructions has passed on to the concerned departmental officer to issue ration card instantly to the family and provide ration to them,” Bokaro deputy commissioner Mukesh Kumar said. Kasmar block development officer (BDO) Rajesh Kumar Sinha said the family has been provided ~20,000 cash instantly as ex-gratia.